Knowledge of the life cycle of a cold or
'flu is very poor, with people not treating
the right symptoms at the right time, ceasing
treatment too early, or not treating their
symptoms at all. This in turn is leading to
an increase in the amount of suffering that
symptoms are causing and a general intolerance
of symptoms in people around us. That's according
to new research from the Consumer Health Information
Centre (CHIC). The research was conducted by
BRMB International on the ACCESS omnibus over
the weekend of 11th/12th September 2004. About
800 adults were surveyed.
The CHIC survey found that:
- Almost two thirds of people (64%) think
that the common cold lasts for up to five
days, however the average cold lasts 5-14+
days
- 73% of people avoid medication for colds
and flu, preferring to wait at least a day;
30% try to ride out the entire cold without
taking any medication at all.
But why suffer in silence? With 45% of people
stating disruption to home or social life and
44% stating a reduction in effectiveness at
work as the most irritating effects of a cold,
why not treat the symptoms as soon as they
appear? Colds show a distinct life cycle and
there are different over-the-counter medicines
that can help treat the different symptoms
at each stage of the cold. Treating symptoms
is especially important as CHIC research shows
that the average Brit is not very tolerant
of symptoms of a cold in other people, especially
those they work with or have to travel next
to …
- On public transport, a third of people
have glared at someone who coughs without
covering their mouth
- Almost two thirds of people (61%) have
little or no sympathy for colleagues taking
time off work with a cold or flu
People are also hypocritical in their attitudes
to colleagues in the workplace who are suffering
the symptoms of a cold or flu:
- Almost 1 in 3 people think a colleague
who comes into work with a cold or flu is
selfish for spreading germs, but yet 47%
think colleagues who take time off work for
a cold or flu are lazy and likely to be exaggerating
symptoms to stay off work longer.
Dr Ian Banks, CHIC expert, says:
"The lack of knowledge that people have about the common cold and 'flu is
vast, especially considering that on average, people have two and a half colds
each year - that could be up to a month with a cold. There is a worrying lack
of awareness of the life cycle of a cold ie. how long it lasts, raising the question
of people suffering unduly due to not treating symptoms at the onset of a cold
and then stopping treatment too early.
"What people should be doing is finding
out more about how to treat the different symptoms
they feel as a cold progresses. Managing your
symptoms properly can have a real impact on
how you feel so we should all be thinking about
what we can do to alleviate some of our symptoms.
Your pharmacist can help you identify which
over-the-counter medicines are right for you
to treat the symptoms you are experiencing
at that particular stage of a cold or 'flu
and advise you as to what additional lifestyle
changes you can make."
To help consumers better understand the life
cycle of cold and flu and to help them treat
the right symptoms at the appropriate stage
of the lifecycle with help of over-the-counter
medicines, CHIC has produced a leaflet titled "The
battle against colds & 'flu". To request
a free copy of this leaflet, consumers can
call CHIC on 0207 404 7842 or simply download the
CHIC cold and 'flu treatment guide here.
For further information please contact:
Sophie Taylor-Roberts
tel: 020 7761 1786
Cait Woodward
tel: 020 7761 1716
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